The countdown to the EUROPEAN JUDO CHAMPIONSHIPS SENIORS in ZAGREB (CRO) is entering the hot phase. The field of 437 judoka from 47 nations exceeds all expectations – featuring 5 Olympic champions, 7 world number ones, 17 world champions, 25 European champions and 51 athletes from the top 10 of the world rankings. More than 20 TV stations will be reporting live from the four days of competition. 10 cameras will be in action. The first nations are supposed to arrive at the beginning of the week, the draw will take place on Wednesday and the first of a total of competition days will be held on T ..read more

The ninth edition of the Judo Festival is ready to roll out this summer by the coast of the Istrian Peninsula in western Croatia. The city of Poreč is a popular summer resort as well as the annual host of the Judo Festival. This year, we will all gather by this astonishing coastline from 19 June – 06 July. The EJU Judo Festival 2024 is a wonderful opportunity to spend time with your family whilst choosing from a wide range of activities to attend at, mixing practice and pleasure in with the judo family. According to tradition, all activities will be led by expertise of each field, allowi ..read more

Kim Polling. For judo fans around the world, we know her as the fierce Dutch athlete who has accolades in their droves; four-time European Champion, four-time Masters winner, World medallist, and has been a stellar part of the Netherlands Judo Team for many years. Today however, she sports new colours, true to her identity and fitting with her life, the present and the future. It may have come as a surprise to some, so what’s the story?  In 2016 I moved to Italy and was also talking with Italian Judo and military groups, because in Italy when you’re competing at a high level you enter a ..read more

The second stop of the  EJU Veteran Tour 2024 is Warsaw. Over 150 judoka from 27 nations will gather in Poland to compete within their respective age and weight category. The country’s only veteran European Champion of 2023, Jacek GEMZA will seek to shine on home grounds in the M7/-100kg. From the visitors, Ukraine, Italy and Belgium has the largest team entered. USA’s trio, including veteran worlds silver and bronze medallists, Ray MARQUEZ (USA) also continue their own European tour. In addition, there are over a handful of solo jet-setters from Azerbaijan, Hungary, Ireland, Gr ..read more

The first ever European Judo Hopes Cup & Technical Session Kodokan Experts is ready to proceed this weekend in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The participants of this event will compete for their judo club, not for their national federations. With that, Arena Hills welcomes almost 300 competitors from over 75 judo clubs across 13 nations. This phenomenal two-day event will run in two sections each day and all judoka required to attend both, the competition and technical sessions. On this occasion, participants will have the opportunity to learn from Kodokan Expert and Sydney 2 ..read more

The number ‘100’ may seem like a lot, but in the anticipation of the Olympic Games, 100 days means that it is practically on our doorstep. There have been a number of countdowns, celebrating various aspects, whether it be Olympic or judo history, previous champions or interviews with potential future medallists, but how does our host nation place in the Olympic history?  It is no secret that France is one of the strongest judo nations, having numerous champions and figureheads, past and present, who hold records and have discovered stardom in their success, and the numbers speak for thems ..read more

The application to be part of EJU’s prime event has now officially closed for all parties, including media registration requests. With the total of nearly 80 media representatives from almost a dozen countries there is only one word left to say: satisfaction. In a week from today, the Franjo Tuđman International Airport Zagreb will be deluged by the European judo family. The management of media attendance varies from federation to federation. Some media representatives are on a simple solo mission whilst others are connected and supported by the national federation. In Austria, it is the resp ..read more

Author: Italian Judo Around 500 athletes from 29 nations and four continents will compete this weekend on the tatami of the Bella Italia village in Lignano Sabbiadoro. The European Junior Cup in Lignano Sabbiadoro will be the 41st edition of the Tarcento Trophy, organised by the Italian Federation in collaboration with Judo Kuroki, and will begin on April 19 with accreditation, weigh-in, and online draw, the latter commencing at 20:00 local time on JudoTV.com. It will continue on April 20 and 21 with the two-day competition and will conclude with the EJU Training Camp from April 22 to 24. The ..read more

Cees Roest is a wheelchair dependent individual who also happened to be a judoka. In 2003, he wanted to take his black belt exam however, for that to happen [at the time], he needed to be able to stand on his own legs. There is saying which goes like this: “If the mountain won’t come to Muhammad, then Muhammad must go to the mountain”. Well, Cees done just that and altered the required Nage-no-Kata to his abilities, creating a Ne-waza Nage-no-Kata, resulting in him claiming his 1st Dan. His brilliance made it to the Kodokan where they were just as impressed.   In 2012, Adapted J ..read more

Croatia’s 18 finest judoka are ready to roll in the capital in just a matter of 10 days. Zagreb is ready to host the European Judo Championships Senior 2024. The final entry has been completed, meaning there are very few changes to be expected. Barbara MATIC and Lara CVJETKO © Carlos FerreiraKatarina KRISTO © Carlos Ferreira Ana Viktorija PULJIZ © Rui Telmo Romão Ladies First Barbara MATIC is the main talking point when it comes to the women’s division and she sits at #1 position of the -70kg category. We must not forget home rival Lara CVJETKO who is returning from an injury and yet, jus ..read more